Buddha and Jesus: Could Solomon Be the Missing Link? (14 page)
Read Buddha and Jesus: Could Solomon Be the Missing Link? Online
Authors: R. E. Sherman
It is curious that the one part of Proverbs 6:16–19 that is missing from the Buddhist description of Right Action (and from other Right Steps) is the reference to “haughty eyes,” or excessive pride. Perhaps this is because the term “haughty eyes” represents an attitude and way of seeing things more than it describes an action. And yet, its absence may not be coincidental. It seems that striving to attain enlightenment carries with it an element of great pride, as discussed in the last section of
Chapter Seven
on
“Right Mindfulness.”
The following proverb(s) of Buddha seem to epitomize one type of “haughty eyes”:
I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am free from taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I am free; having learnt myself, whom shall I teach?
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This next proverb of Buddha covers all parts of Right Action, except that harm in a general sense is not mentioned:
He who destroys life, who speaks untruth, who in this world takes what is not given him, who goes to another man’s wife; and the man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he, even in this world, digs up his own root.
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In the rest of this chapter we will look at each of the types of Right Action separately. Each heading includes the number of the type of action cited in the Buddhist definition in the boxed paragraph above.
The word “karma” means action. So, it should not be surprising that many of the proverbs of both Solomon and Buddha have a distinct, often dramatic, karmic essence.
1. Don’t Kill
One of the Ten Commandments of Judaism is “You shall not murder.”
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So Solomon felt no need to include this obvious moral prohibition in his proverbs. He did, however, warn against following those who would say:
“Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for innocent blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul; let’s swallow them alive, like the grave, and whole, like those who go down to the pit.”
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Of these people, he said the following, implying that those who set out to take someone else’s life are only destroying their own:
These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves!
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Buddha emphasized the importance of not taking life by two consecutive proverbs that closely parallel one another:
1. Don’t Harm, Be Kind
Unjustified Harm
Solomon stressed the importance of not causing harm, especially if there is no justification for inflicting it:
Do not plot harm against your neighbor, who lives trustfully near you. Do not accuse a man for no reason—when he has done you no harm.
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Buddha issued even stronger words against causing harm, citing a list of ten possible dreadful consequences and concluding with a final result—going to hell:
He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon come to one of these ten states: He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy affliction, or loss of mind, or a misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or loss of relations, or destruction of treasures, or lightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is destroyed, the fool will go to hell.
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Violence
People automatically associate Buddha with nonviolence and seeking peace. What is less known is that these were also values Solomon espoused. For example:
Do not envy a violent man or choose any of his ways, for the Lord detests a perverse man but takes the upright into his confidence.
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Solomon emphasized that those who are violent will certainly be destroyed—because they have willfully opposed justice:
The violence of the wicked will destroy them, because they refuse to do justice.
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This proverb has a strong karmic flavor. Buddha stressed this same theme in four different proverbs. Here are two of them:
The scope of this last proverb must be limited, for certainly unhappiness in the hereafter will be experienced as the result of any of a wide range of wrongdoings, even if someone refrains from tormenting others.
The other two are as follows. The great emphasis Buddha had on always being nonviolent is evident in these two proverbs:
A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures; because he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man called Ariya.
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A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he who distinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and leads others, not by violence, but by law and equity, and who is guarded by the law and intelligent, he is called just.
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Being a Peacemaker
Solomon devoted many more proverbs to the virtues of seeking peace than Buddha did. The Jewish king placed great value on seeking peace and avoiding conflict, and he was known as a man of peace:
It is a man’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
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He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.
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He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
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When a man’s ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
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Buddha praised forbearance, a patient endurance and self-control that refrains from reacting adversely, even when there is ample justification for striking back:
The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the highest Nirvana; for he is not an anchorite (pravragita) who strikes others, he is not an ascetic (sramana) who insults others.
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Solomon painted sharp contrasts of the karmic consequences of two radically different kinds of people:
The merciful, kind, and generous man benefits himself [for his deeds return to bless him], but he who is cruel and callous [to the wants of others] brings on himself retribution.
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Solomon went much further than Buddha did in the positive, lauding the character qualities of mercy, kindness, and generosity. The concepts of mercy, grace, and forgiveness are generally absent in Buddhism. Buddhists regard these as emotion based—a sign of weakness. Instead, Buddha stressed forbearance and refraining from violence and made these one of the cornerstones of his new religion. That he is so closely associated with these values is due in no small way to the Indian emperor Ashoka, whose domain covered nearly all of the Indian subcontinent from 269 to 232
B.C.
Ashoka converted to Buddhism after observing the enormous bloodshed of the war of Kalinga, and he devoted himself to the spread of Buddhism throughout India and much of Asia.
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Additional proverbs of Buddha on nonviolence are:
He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for himself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from hatred.
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Let a man guard himself against irritability in bodily action; let him be controlled in deed. Abandoning bodily misconduct, let him practice good conduct in deed.
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Some further sample proverbs of Solomon on nonviolence and peacekeeping follow:
A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
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There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.
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An offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city, and disputes are like the barred gates of a citadel.
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A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
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A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel.
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Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam, so drop a matter before a dispute breaks out.
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Judging Unfairly
Solomon placed great value on upholding justice and rejecting bribes:
Solomon also stressed the need for fairness in administering justice:
A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.
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Buddha asserted that “might does not make right” and that justice requires wise, insightful arbitrators:
A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he who distinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and leads others, not by violence, but by law and equity, and who is guarded by the law and intelligent, he is called just.
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Be a Good Friend
Some of Solomon’s proverbs speak of the sweetness and value of friendships:
Some of Buddha’s proverbs likewise make reference to this concept, though in a more subtle way:
Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering.
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Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, and returns safe from afar.
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In like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and has gone from this world to the other;—as kinsmen receive a friend on his return.
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2. Do Good
Solomon chided people to overcome their reluctance to do good deeds:
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow”—when you now have it with you.
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Likewise, Buddha urged people to forge ahead in doing good deeds, seeing it as a way to thwart the tendency to do evil:
Buddha also noted the relative ease of doing evil deeds versus good ones:
2a. Be Generous
Solomon placed great value on generosity:
The sluggard’s craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work. All day long he craves for more, but
the righteous give without sparing
.
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Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a serving to seven, and also to eight, for you do not know what evil will be on the earth.
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One man gives freely, yet gains even more. Another man withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
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This last proverb of Solomon is a precursor to the following saying of Buddha:
The uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do not praise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through it becomes blessed in the other world.
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